It was declared an Ancient Monument in 1978 by the Cypriot Department of antiquities and received the Europa Nostra award. Located in the Lefkosia (Nicosia) district, Fikardou village sits at an altitude of 900 metres in the region of Pitsilia. The historical site can be reached by following the E903 and then the E904, finally reaching this secluded and idyllic village. The name of the village is
believed to have originated from the Greek for ‘den of fugitives’ (‘figa andron’), from the fugitives who were recruited by two dominant clans that controlled the region between 400 AD - 800 AD. Now almost-deserted, the village was declared an Ancient Monument in 1978 by the department of antiquities, and won the Europa Nostra award in 1987. The village was carefully restored to preserve the 18th century houses with their remarkable woodwork and folk architecture. Two of these - the House of Katsinioros, and the House of Achilleas Dimitris - are now owned by the Department of Antiquities, and have been turned into museums, exhibiting rural items and depicting rural life in years past. After touring the village, visitors will find a traditional Cypriot welcome at the quaint little coffee shop, whilst the Monastery of Machairas is less than 15 minutes away.
